In the upcoming Olympiad, 10 top rated female chess stars and superstars will not be competing in Turin, Italy, including 4 of the last 6 Women’s World Champions. I personally dislike some of the ways how the organizer promote the Turin Olympiad but I am sure that is not the reason for the lack of so many top players. I do not know why so many others decided no to compete but I think all countries should send their best players. Perhaps some of you may know of the reasons. One thing for sure, politics and ridiculous rules created by chess politicians should definitely be removed.
Some of the biggest names include:
– GM Judit Polgar (Hungary) 2711, played in 2002 (X)
– GM Susan Polgar (USA) 2577 WC, played in 2004
– GM Xie Jun (China) 2573 WC, played in 2004
– GM Pia Cramling (Sweden) 2520 EC, played in 2004
– WGM Xu Yuhua (China) 2517 WC, played in 2004 (X)
– GM Maia Chiburdanidze (Georgia) 2504 WC, played in 2004
– IM Subbaraman Vijayalakshmi (India) 2472, played in 2004
– IM Alisa Galliamova (Russia) 2470
– WGM Kanying Qin (China) 2465
– IM Socko, Monika (Poland) 2465, played in 2004
That is 10 of the top 20 women players in the world!
(X) family reason
That’s a shocking number! They’re not doing a very good job promoting the Olympiad. I also don’t like how they promote the olympiad.
This is a serious problem. I hope there will be new FIDE leadership.
WGM Xu Yuhua is expecting a baby. So, she is not participating.
GM Zhu Chen is playing for the Qatar men’s team.
GM Susan Polgar didn’t fulfill the activity requirements to making the US Olympiad team.
IM Vijayalakshmi Subbaraman didn’t qualify for the Indian women’s team.
‘GM Susan Polgar didn’t fulfill the activity requirements to making the US Olympiad team.’
Dear anonymous, the other points you make with this one may or may not be correct, but the one regarding GM Polgar lets them down somewhat.
Firstly, the point you make did not prevent GM Polgar from making the 2004 Olympiad team, so it seems that the apparent ‘increased standards’ of the USCF prevent one of the best women chess players in the world from representing her country. That, I find so ridiculous it is almost funny.
Furthermore, the ‘activity requirements’ you mention were conveniently initiated AFTER GM Polgar had already declared that she would not be accepting any offer to play in Turin.
In addition, there are several other factors, (as Susan has explained frankly, and in great detail, elsewhere on this blog) involved in GM Polgar not competing in Turin.
It’s outrageous that the USCF changed the rules so GM Polgar can’t play. Don’t they have anything better to do? She is good enough to play board 1 for just about any country but the US.
Surely it’s the responsibility of each individual country to put out their best team?
This event is the one big chance for players to represent their countries, they should do all they can to play.
Can you imagine a top 100 metre runner prefering to run in a club event, rather than run for his nation in the Olympic games?
Maybe the fact that many chess players no longer live in their country of birth is partially responsible?
Maybe money is also an issue for some players? Stipends for playing in the Olympiad are notoriously small, and for many of the very top players the thought of playing and exposing more of their game for no money is an issue.
This is one (very rare) occasion I would not actually blame FIDE. I think greed on the part of some players, and a poor motivational performance by individual chess federations is the cause.
The situation is undoubtlessly very serious. I recommend cancelling the Olympiad, after the Opening Ceremony.
What can I say? The others must be competing for the love for their country, for the glory and spirit of the Olympic games.
“Stipends for playing in the Olympiad are notoriously small”
Can you quote some so we can compare?
http://schach.wienerzeitung.at/tnr3410.aspx?tnr=3410&art=8&lan=1&turdet=NO&flag=30&snr=53
53. Qatar
Bo. Name Rtg FED FideID
1 GM Al-Modiahki Mohammed 2579 QAT 12100030
2 IM Al Sayed Mohammed 2479 QAT 12100196
3 GM Zhu Chen 2483 QAT 8600546
4 IM Nezad Husain 2345 QAT 12100293
5 Al-Tamimi Hamad 2290 QAT 12100285
6 FM Al-Sulaiti Ghanim 2135 QAT 12100358
Oooops!
“I personally dislike the way how the organizer promote the Turin Olympiad.”
Why? At the front page, Hungarian tournaments are being promoted:
http://www.chessolympiad-torino2006.org/eng/index.php?cav=1&dettaglio=370
I actually don’t think this situation is very serious at all.
If players decide they have better things to do than go to the Olympiad and play for their country, so what?
Their country will be represented by the next layer down.
I was lucky enough to attend the Olympiad at Calvia, and will again in Turin.
The Olympiad is the greatest single chess event in the calendar, and a wonderful chance to catch up with old friends, and see them collapse at the Bermuda party….
The fact that some players are either too selfish, too greedy, or too pregnent to play for their countries will not detract from the enjoyment at all as far as I am concerned.
I do accept by the way, that Susan had her own reasons for not attending, and in no way do I include her in any criticism.
Why is the Olympiad only 13 (unlucky?) rounds? It used to be more rounds.
“The fact that some players are either too selfish, too greedy, or too pregnent to play for their countries will not detract from the enjoyment at all as far as I am concerned.”
It could be noted that sometimes it’s not really the players fault. Some captains just don’t know who to choose to play.
Some players have no choice. They’re not allowed by their federations to play. Sometimes politics take center stage.
Pia Cramling and Svetlana Agrest could not play for Sweden because the organisers of the olympiad didn´t allow children to stay in the olympic village.
Outrageous! This act by the Italian organizer is despicable!
I can’t believe an organizer can do this!! And FIDE accepted this condition?
IM Alisa Galliamova didn’t qualify for the Russian team either.
“Pia Cramling and Svetlana Agrest could not play for Sweden because the organisers of the olympiad didn´t allow children to stay in the olympic village.”
Booooooooo.
“IM Alisa Galliamova didn’t qualify for the Russian team either.”
If this and more above is true, then the blog author is not informed well.
Maybe this was not the point of Susan’s discussion?
There maybe lots of reasons why children are not allowed to stay in the Olympic village, why is that such a problem?
There are hundreds of hotels in Turin,
No Olympiad has had a “village” facility before as far as I am aware, so why is that a problem this time?
It goes back to the point that if they cared enough to play for their country, they would.
With a few notable exceptions, chess players tend to be extremely self centered people, who’s introverted nature makes them great at the game, but not so considerate of other issues.
I’m in the olympic village and looks like some children are staying here (not just players either!).
And there are a lot of hotels for same price as village.
Judit Polgar is also expecting a child.